Moral Character

And the Lord said to , “Say to all the He who walks in integrity will be delivered, congregation of the people of Israel, You but he who is perverse in his ways will fall shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am into a pit. holy.” Proverbs 28: 18 RSV Leviticus 19: 1-2 RSV There are those who are pure in their own “You shall not hate your brother in your eyes but are not cleansed of their filth. heart, but you shall reason with your Proverbs 30: 12 RSV neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. Leviticus 19: 17 RSV He who sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail. “You shall not take vengeance or bear any Proverbs 22: 8 RSV grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: Blessed is the man who walks not in the I am the LORD.” counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way Leviticus 19: 18 RSV of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and When you vow a vow to God, do not delay on his law he meditates day and night. paying it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Psalms 1: 1-2 RSV Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow ‘And it will be righteousness for us, if we and not pay. are careful to do all this commandment Ecclesiastes 5: 4-5 RSV before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’ Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity Deuteronomy 6: 25 RSV rewards the righteous. Proverbs 13: 21 RSV “According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the All day long the wicked covets, but the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; righteous gives and does not hold back. you shall not turn aside to the right hand or Proverbs 21: 26 RSV to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you.” A righteous man who walks in his Deuteronomy 17: 11 NKJV integrity—blessed are his sons after him! Proverbs 20: 7 RSV But he who is noble devises noble things, and by noble things he stands. He who conceals his transgressions will not Isaiah 32: 8 RSV prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Take care! Don’t do your good deeds Proverbs 28: 13 RSV publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven Matthew 6: 1 TLB

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Nothing is covered up that will not be righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Matthew 5: 6 ASB Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what Blessed are the merciful, for they shall you have whispered in private rooms shall receive mercy. be proclaimed upon the housetops. Matthew 5: 7 ASB Luke 12: 2-3 RSV

You, therefore, must be perfect, as your Unless you are faithful in small matters, you heavenly Father is perfect. won’t be faithful in large ones. If you cheat Matthew 5: 48 RSV even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities “Beware of practicing your piety before men Luke 16: 10 TLB in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. in heaven.” Leave that to God. For it is written, Matthew 6: 1 RSV “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord. “You brood of vipers! how can you speak Romans 12: 19 TLB good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Therefore, since we have been made right in The good man out of his good treasure God’s sight by faith, we have peace with brings forth good, and the evil man out of God because of what Christ our Lord his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, has done for us. on the day of judgment men will render Romans 5: 1 TLB account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and Because of our faith, Christ has brought us by your words you will be condemned.” into this place of highest privilege where we Matthew 12: 34-37 RSV now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. The time is coming when everything will be Romans 5: 2 TLB revealed; all that is secret will be made public. We can rejoice, too, when we run into Luke 12: 2 TLB problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to Whatever you have said in the dark will be endure. heard in the light, and what you have Romans 5: 3 TLB whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear! And endurance develops strength of Luke 12: 3 TLB character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. Romans 5: 4 TLB

And this expectation will not disappoint us. Whenever we have the opportunity, we For we know how dearly God loves us, should do good to everyone, especially to because he has given us the Holy Spirit to our Christian brothers and sisters. fill our hearts with his love. Galatians 6: 10 TLB Romans 5: 5 TLB Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Galatians 6: 7 NKJV Christ. Romans 5: 1 RSV For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the …we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. suffering produces endurance, and Galatians 6: 8 NKJV endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint And let us not grow weary while doing us… good, for in due season we shall reap if we Romans 5: 3-5 RSV do not lose heart. Galatians 6: 9 NKJV Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL good to all, especially to those who are of REPAY,” says the Lord. the household of faith. Romans 12: 19 ASB Galatians 6: 10 NKJV

Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t Put off your old nature which belongs to ignore God and get away with it. You will your former manner of life and is corrupt always reap what you sow! through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in Galatians 6: 7 TLB the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in Those who live only to satisfy their own true righteousness and holiness. sinful desires will harvest the consequences Ephesians 4: 22-24 RSV of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life Therefore, putting away falsehood, let from the Spirit. everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, Galatians 6: 8 TLB for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4: 25 RSV So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we Stand therefore, having girded your loins will reap a harvest of blessing at the with truth, and having put on the breastplate appropriate time. of righteousness, and having shod your feet Galatians 6: 9 TLB with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6: 14-16 RSV

Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but For ground that drinks the rain which often in humility count others better than falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful yourselves. Let each of you look not only to to those for whose sake it is also tilled, his own interests, but also to the interests of receives a blessing from God; but if it yields others. thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close Philippians 2: 3-4 RSV to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. Hebrews 6: 7-8 ASB Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, Keep your life free from love of money, and meekness, and patience, forbearing one be content with what you have; for he has another and, if one has a complaint against said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.” another, forgiving each other… : 5 RSV Colossians 3: 12-13 RSV Hence we can confidently say, “The Lord is And above all these put on love, which my helper, I will not be afraid; what can binds everything together in perfect man do to me?” harmony. Hebrews 13: 6 RSV Colossians 3: 14 RSV Remember your leaders, those who spoke to Don’t let anyone think less of you because you the word of God; consider the outcome you are young. Be an example to all of their life, and imitate their faith. believers in what you teach, in the way you Hebrews 13: 7 RSV live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, Timothy I 4: 12 TLB sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. Do not return evil Let no one despise your youth, but set the for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the believers an example in speech and conduct, contrary bless, for to this you have been in love, in faith, in purity. called, that you may obtain a blessing. Timothy I 4: 12 RSV Peter I 3: 8-9 RSV

Let the elders who rule well be considered See how very much our heavenly Father worthy of double honor, especially those loves us, for he allows us to be called his who labor in preaching and teaching; for the children, and we really are! But the people scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox who belong to this world don’t know God, when it is treading out the grain,” and, “The so they don’t understand that we are his laborer deserves his wages.” children. Timothy I 5: 17-18 RSV John I 3: 1 TLB

Although He was a Son, He learned Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s obedience from the things which He children, and we can’t even imagine what suffered. we will be like when Christ returns. But we : 8 ASB do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. John I 3: 2 TLB

And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure. John I 3: 3 TLB

Compiled by: W. Huitt Last revised: April 2014 Available at: http://www.science-religion.org/religion/christianity/brilstar/09-christian-character.pdf